This Day in History: Equal Pay Act signed into law
Published: Jun. 10, 2026 at 7:15 AM CDT
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - On this day in 1963, President John F. Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act into law, marking one of the nation’s first major efforts to combat wage discrimination based on sex.
The landmark legislation required men and women to receive equal pay for equal work, helping pave the way for future workplace equality protections.
At the time, women earned 59 cents for every dollar earned by men.
More than 60 years later, the law remains a cornerstone of the fight for pay equity in America.
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